1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates generally to the building and construction industry and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for more efficiently and effectively installing drywall around windows.
2. Description of Related Art
The approach to installing drywall around window openings according to prior art is extremely cumbersome. Perhaps one-third of the time spent doing pick-up work on the interior of a dwelling is on window openings.
Typically, an elongated rectangular piece of drywall, known as a "return" or "reveal," is cut and nailed to a 2.times.4 stud frame member adjacent the window opening. The drywall wall panel is then aligned at a right angle with the return and nailed to the stud. The abutment of the wall panel and the return forms a linear rough outer edge, which is then covered with a piece of "cornerbead." The cornerbead must be cut to length and nailed into place. Material known as "mud" is then applied around the cornerbead to create a finished appearance.
Numerous problems exist with the prior art approach. The numerous steps involved are obviously labor intensive. Errors can be made at each step of the way. For example, sanding and texturing of the mud coats may scratch the window return and otherwise damage adjacent surfaces. The stud to which the return is nailed may be cocked-in causing the return to be misaligned. Typically, misalignment and other defects may not be discovered until the entire final assembly is inspected, requiring expensive and wasteful reconstruction of the drywall interface.